Container.



F. WESTERBECK.

CONTAINER.

APPLICATION FILED .mmua, 1909.

947,507,. Patented Jan. 25, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

F. WESTERBECK.

CONTAINER.

APPLICATION mum JUNEIZ, 1909.

947,507. Patented Jan.25,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

2F Ms 22-0350,

munzw a umum co rumoumocmmzns. wnsuwamn, n. a

ITE

FREDERICK WESTERBECK, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

CONTAINER.

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that l, FREDlIRHK \Vns'rme nncn, a citizen of the lnited States at imerica, residing in the city of St. Louis, in the State of Ivlissouri, have invented certain new and use'tul ln'iprovements in Containers, of which the 't'ollowinp' is a full, clear, and exact description, re'lerence being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

.iiy invention relates to a container that is more especially intended for use in kitchen cabinets, but which may be used aside from such cabinets, the invention having tor its object the production of a container having a bin, a cup slidably mounted beneath the bin and arranged to receive substance discharged therefrom, and means whereby the discharge from the bin may be shut otl' when the cup is withdrawn trom the container aml permitted to take place when the cup is introduced into the container.

()ne ol the principal Features in my present improvement is-the construction whereby the discharge of contents from the bin ol the (jOllttlfll'lGl may be positively stopped in a manner to prevent the entrance of objects descending 'lrom the bin acting to clog the discharge opening, with the result, of preventing proper closure of the discharge shut ol'l device.

Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section through my container. Fig. IT is a vertical cross section through the container, taken on line ill ll, Fig. I, the cup being omitted. Fig. III is a horizontal section taken on line lll lll, Fig. I, and looking upward, as indicated by the arrow crossing" said line, the cup being omitted. Fig. TV is a top or plan view of the cup utilized in my container.

in the accompanying drawings :-l designates a bin which is provided at its lower end with a hopper shaped bottom I3 designates a. housing located beneath the bottom ot the bin l and attached to said bottom in any suitable manner. This housing is preterably of cylindrical shape, having a Hattened top, is closed at its rear end, and has an open forward end. in the top of the housing is a discharge opening 4-, through which substance placed in the bin 1 may descend.

(i is a guide plate also having a discharge opening registering with the discharge opening -t in the top of the housing 3 and Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 12, 1909.

Patented Jan. 25, 191.0.

Serial No. 501,702.

side and which is provided with downturned and inturned side llanges 7 that serve to i provide slidewa \'s within which a shut-otl' valve i to be presently more particularly z-e'terred to. is operable. llheseside flanges are provided intermediate (it their ends with shoulders S. The shut oli valve S) is slidablv mounted within and supported by ihe side flanges 7 ol the guide plate (i and which is adapted to be moved forwardly to close the discharge opening leading from the bin 1 and the discharge opening to the housing 1 and to be moved rearwardly so that said opening will be exposed for the descent of the contents 'tl'om the bin to the housing and into a cup provided tor the reception ol such contents, as will hereinailter appear. The valve is provided at its rear end with a depending arm 10 and at its forward end .vith :1 depending arm 11. the latter being preferably constructed o't' a piece ol, wire bent into a loop, having its arms fastened to the valve and the lorward closed end of the loop bent downwardly, as seen most clearly in Fig. I.

12 designates a cup that con't'ormsii'i shape to and is slidably titled in the housing 3, this cup being designed to receive contents l'rom the bin 1 of my container and to operate the valve 9, with the result of shifting it to permit; the descent of contents from the bin when the cup is introduced into the housing and to move the valve to close the discharge opening when the cup is withdrawn from the housing The cup is open at its top and the opening is spanned by a valve operating member 13, preferably consisting of a piece of wire bent into T-shape, the head of the T extending across the opening in the cup and the leg of the T extending rearwardly to the back end of the cup to brace the head.

Vhon the cup is introduced into the housing of the container, it being assumed that the valve 9 is at this time in a forward position and closing the discharge opening leading from the bin 1, the rear end of the cup, by striking against the depending arm 10 of the valve, acts to move said valve rearwardly with the result of so shifting it i as to permit the descent of contents from the bin into the cup. Then, when the cup is withdrawn from the housing, the valve op erating member 13 moves into engagement with the forward depending arm 11 of the secured to the top of the housing at its under l valve and the valve is drawn forwardly LOO by said member until it has reached its limit of forward movement, at which time it has efiectually closed the discharge opening and the cup may be completely Withdrawn from the housing of the container without liability of additional descent of substance from the bin. As the valve reaches its limit of forward movement, its rear depending arm strikes against the shoulders of the guide flanges 7 to prevent the complete Withdrawal of the valve.

I will next refer to one of the main features of my present improvement and which contemplates, the prevention of objects becoming clogged in the discharge opening of the container upon the closing of the shut off valve in a manner to permit of material descending through said discharge opening at a time that the shut off valve is intended to be in a closed position. By making the discharge opening of circular form, as it is usually made in containers provided with shut elf valves, there is opportunity for the descent of a large object into a position in front of the shut off valve as it is closed and which, by preventing complete closure of the valve, permits the presence of spaces alongside of it through which smaller objects may descend at the time that the discharge opening is intended to be wholly obstructed by the shut off valve. Moreover, two or more objects may become wedged in the discharge opening in front of the shut off valve instead of a single large object and the same result occur as in the presence of a single large object, namely, incomplete closure of the discharge opening.

To prevent the objectionable feature of the shut off valve being held from proper closure in the manner referred to, I provide the discharge opening of my housing with a narrow forward extension 5, preferably of tapering or V-shape, as seen in Figs. I and III. By furnishing the discharge opening with this extension, I provide for the shut off valve being moved toward the narrowest end of the extension during the descent of contents from the bin of the container so that discharge of contents may be gradually cut off until only one object may descend through the discharge opening, and if this one object should become clogged in ex tension of the discharge opening, it effectually and completely closes the passageway and there is no opportunity for the leakage of other objects alongside of it from the bin of the container, as there would be in any construction other than one involving a narrow passageway, such as that furnished by the extension of my discharge opening.

Vith the object in view of protecting the narrow extension of the discharge opening t so that there will be less opportunity for the objects being forcibly pressed into said extension during the closing of the shut off valve, I place above said extension a horizontal box shaped guard 5, (see Fig. I). This guard, by overhanging the extension 5 of the discharge opening, arevents the contents of the bin 1 from being pressed into the extension by the mass of material uppermost in the bin, as will be readily understood.

I claim 1. In a container, a bin having a discharge opening, a housing having a discharge opening provided with'a tapering extension, a horizontal box shaped guard located above said tapering extension of the discharge opening of the housing, and a shut off valve for controlling said discharge opening of the housing and movable toward said tapering extension.

2. In a container, a bin having a discharge opening, a housing beneath said bin, a cup removably mounted in said housing, a shut off valve for controlling said outlet provided with a depending arm adapted to be engaged by said cup, and guide members attached to said housing in which said shut off valve is operable, the guide members being provided intermediate of their ends with shoulders adapted to be engaged by the depending arm of said shut off valve to limit the movement of the valve.

FREDERICK IVESTERBECK.

In the presence of WM. H. SCOTT, E. B. LINN. 

